Saturday Night Fights Round 7 Play-By-Play

Saturday Night Fights Round 7 brought amateur Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai bouts to Regina’s Turvey Centre on May 11. Thirteen Saskatchewan fighters put their skills to the test, and the promotion also crowned two champions, in the Super Lightweight Muay Thai and Featherweight MMA divisions. Overseen by the Saskatchewan Martial Arts Association, the Muay Thai bouts were scored under a 10-point must system with 3 – 2 minute rounds, and the MMA had 5 possible points for each fighter : Standing Striking, Standing Grappling, Ground Striking, Ground Grappling, and finally an Aggression point, during 2 – 5 minute rounds.

Bout 8 – Main Event – Elijah Richard VS Sam King Featherweight MMA Championship
Round 1
King enters to a deafening hometown crowd and stomps his way around the cage, staring down Richard who smiles in response. When the fight begins, King extends his hand but Richard has no desire to touch gloves so they get to it. They both throw but only a few body shots land, and then King is the recipient of an accidental low blow. He shakes it off within seconds though, and now they touch gloves. King delivers a leg kick and then swarms Richard. Richard is feinting and throwing wild. After a few ineffectual exchanges they clinch and Richard is breathing heavy. Richard lands a few knees inside and they break, then Richard throws an inside leg kick that King catches and uses to put him down. Richard tries to get to his feet but King is on him and uses his wrestling to work to a huge double leg takedown. He attains side control and the fight is moved to the center of the ring. King swiftly moves to mount; Richard valiantly bucks, nearly dislodging his opponent but King will not be denied and quickly moves to a straight armbar. Richard defends at first but King adjusts his grip and gets the tapout – and the belt.King wins Featherweight MMA Championship

Bout 7 – Wayne Pokornik VS Adam Brown – Muay Thai
Round 1
Pokornik calmly awaits his opponent, but Brown looks pretty ferocious walking in. And Brown immediately establishes the tone, landing a fantastic hard push kick to Pokornik’s face on their very first engagement. He follows with a flurry of punches and a hard body kick, then begins to attack Pokornik’s legs. They clinch and trade knees. After they separate, Brown starts working a slick feint-step-inside leg kick that he’s able to land at will for the remainder of the bout. Pokornik is firing back and lands some, but Brown delivers a hard knee to the midsection and lands both a body kick and a big punch to end the round.

Round 2
Pokornik seems to want to clinch more now but there’s not much damage done by either man. Brown spins him into the corner and after they break he lands another push kick to the face. They clinch again and Pokornik punishes Browns thigh with hard knees. After they break Brown blasts off a high kick that’s blocked, but he immediately throws it again a foot lower and his shin connects with Pokornik’s ribs with a meaty thwack. He follows this with another push kick to end the round.

Round 3
Brown comes out throwing head kicks that Pokornik blocks. He lands yet another push kick to the face though, and starts to throw his hands. Brown lands a solid back kick to Pokornik’s midsection and follows up with a 1-2. They clinch and Brown spins Pokornik to the ground hard. When they clash again Pokornik lands a nice right hook and then they clinch. Brown gets a good knee and some punches in, but Pokornik answers with a left and Brown slips to the mat; the round ends uneventfully.Brown wins by Unanimous Decision

Bout 6 – Paul Melanson VS Robb Rennebohm – MMA
Round 1
Rennebohm comes out to a hero’s welcome and stomps his way into the cage. But Melanson is the one who literally comes out swinging, blasting big overhand rights to try to close the distance on the much taller Rennebohm. He also mixes it up with leg kick attempts and even a spinning backfist, but Rennebohm stands his ground, although there’s not much landing clean in the exchanges. Rennebohm catches a kick and pitches Melanson to the ground but doesn’t follow, choosing to let him get up. When Melason throws another leg kick that misses wildly, Rennebohm swiftly boots out his other leg sending Melanson to his ass hard on the mat. Now Rennebohm pounces and as Melanson tries to scramble to his feet, he’s cracked with a big right hand that crumples him. But he’s against the ropes and Rennebohm is able to land a few more hard rights to his dazed opponent before the ref is able to jump in and rescue Melanson. Rennebohm again tries to stomp his feet through the ring in celebration.Rennebohm wins by TKO

Bout 5 – Rory Nanine VS Mathew Lipsius – Super Lightweight Muay Thai Championship
Round 1
Nanine comes out aggressively, landing hard to the body, but then goes down from a leg kick. Lipsius repeatedly throws leg kicks which Nanine chooses not to check, opting instead to try to fire back with punches, some of which connect for damage. Lipsius throws a head kick that doesn’t appear to land and Nanine lands a good combo. Lipsius comes back with his own strikes and they clinch, and after they separate Nanine catches a kick and puts Lipsius down. Nanine starts to wing power shots but doesn’t score much as Lipsius defends and lands repeated leg kicks. Nanine keeps pressuring but lands little and Lipsius scores with a hard knee to the body.

Round 2
Lipsius comes out with a leg kick and Nanine eats it and drops him with a swift right. There`s frenzied action now, Nanine lands some big knees on the ropes but in classic Muay Thai fashion they twist and Lipsius lands a heavy knee of his own. Nanine lands a low leg kick with a straight left hand behind it – this combo finds its mark and Nanine delivers it repeatedly. They clinch again and trade knees with Lipsius seeming to get the better blows in. Lipsius lands both high then low kicks and then continues to score with leg kicks to finish the round.

Round 3
Nanine comes out aggressively again and lands a few combinations, Lipsius replies with a high kick and when they clinch Lipsius swings some hard knees into Nanine’s gut. After they separate Lipsius lands a hard body kick and Nanine responds with combos that do more damage. Both fighters start to pace themselves now; Lipsius is still throwing kicks but Nanine is checking them now and still trying to counter off them. But he’s lost the spring in his step and his strikes aren’t finding their target.Lipsius wins the Super Lightweight Muay Thai Championship by Majority Decision

Bout 4 – James Nelson VS Jason Schiffner – MMA
Round 1
Nelson comes out looking for the big punch and lands a glancing right. Schiffner ties him up against the ropes and they trade knees. Nelson gets a hold of Schiffner`s neck but Schiffner works him to the ground and into half guard. Schiffner lands some good body shots before Nelson bucks and almost sweeps him, but Schiffner manages to control him and uses the opportunity to move into side control. He swiftly moves into mount and postures up but Nelson spins to avoid damage and gives up his back. Nelson then tries to rise and escape out the back door but Schiffner is stuck fast and uses his hooks to kick Nelson`s legs back and flatten him out. He doesn’t look like he`s even thinking about a submission and immediately postures and starts landing hard shots until the ref stops it.Jason Schiffner wins by TKO

Bout 3 – Lucas Berg VS Jamie Walker – Muay Thai
Round 1
Walker presses the action immediately, stalking Berg relentlessly and landing combinations, and throwing a huge head kick early that Berg is able to mostly block. Walker uses his reach and push kicks to keep Berg on the defensive; he`s occasionally firing back but is overwhelmed and Walker lands a nice right hand near the end.

Round 2
Walker comes out strong again, landing punches and kicks, and then as Berg attacks Walker perfectly times a push kick to the solar plexus and Berg goes down hard. He takes a deep breath after standing and Walker smells blood and delivers a superman punch that doesn’t land cleanly but the next straight right off a combo does. Berg goes down again later but it looks like a slip and then Walker lands a very hard right to the body and another strong combo as Berg defends against the ropes.

Round 3
Walker comes out with the push kicks again, but Berg lands a nice right. Hoping to repeat it Berg launches a big right hook but misses and Walker pounces and floors him with a straight right counter. After this Berg is in survival mode and circles away for the remainder of the round, pausing occasionally to fire strikes that Walker is able to block or avoid. Walker is looking for a big kick but his corner is yelling hands! But Walker isn’t able to land much else.Jamie Walker wins by Unanimous Decision

Bout 2 – Wesley Bowman VS Evan Isbister – MMA
Round 1
Bowman starts off working his left hand and landing, and scores with a couple of overhands then misses a spinning backfist. Isbister closes and works a clinch to the ground and gets on top, patiently working from side control and then mount. He doesn’t really posture up but works to maintain control and then gains back mount and eventually secures the body triangle and goes for the rear naked. He gets his arm around Bowman`s neck a couple of times but
Bowman bridges up and displays good wrist control to avoid the choke. Isbister rears up and rains down some leather before diving for the choke again but Bowman survives.

Round 2
Bowman comes out looking to do damage, trying hard to land his left and winging it at full power.
Isbister makes him miss a few times but then Bowman lands a hard left hook, and then an uppercut that grazes. Isbister ducks into the next uppercut though – it lands with power, and Isbister shoots for the takedown but Bowman spawls hard and Isbister is forced to pull guard. Bowman starts to grind and Isbister is able to get one hip out and his arm behind Bowman’s head to stifle any offence, but after a ref warning to get busy, Bowman does exactly that and lands a few punches in guard and works the body with repeated hard shots. They`re moved from the ropes to the centre twice and Bowman maintains control. Isbister `s corner is screaming for him to throw his legs up, to get out from under, but Bowman is able to maintain top position and in the final seconds finally postures up and finishes the round strong.Judges rule this fight a Split Draw.

Bout 1 – Joe Alisaukas VS Calvin Harle – Muay Thai
Round 1
Alisaukas comes out working the 1-2. Throwing straight and feeling them land, he starts to throw a winging left after the jab that generally fails to find the mark. He lands a nice knee to the body and Harle’s most potent weapon is his low leg kicks which he lands consistently.

Round 2
Alisaukas comes out firing again, landing a hard right hand then working the double jab to another hard right. He scores with a stiff right to the body and there’s a brief exchange where both fighters do damage. Harle is again working the low leg kicks but not developing much offence other than that, Alisaukas lands another hard right body shot as the round ends.

Round 3
Alisaukas finds a home for his right hand now, setting it up with his jab and landing the 1-2 repeatedly. Harle seems to be wilting as Alisaukas presses, landing clean combos upstairs and down. Alisaukas finishes strong with several straight shots that do damage.Joe Alisaukas wins by Unanimous Decision.